Category: criminal courts charge

‘Why has the government decided to abolish the Criminal Courts Charge? Shula de Jersey, Principal Lawyer at Slater and Gordon (UK) LLP, explores the controversial measure and explains the events that led to its abolition.’

‘The courts take money from offenders in a number of ways, including fines, the victim surcharge, compensation orders, prosecution costs and the Criminal Courts Charge. This array of penalties, fines and charges is complex and confusing. I have therefore asked my department to review the entire structure, and purpose, of court-ordered financial impositions for offenders, in order to bring greater simplicity and clarity to the system.’

‘Criminal court charges create perverse incentives for the innocent to plead guilty, warns Bar Council chairman Alistair MacDonald QC, ahead of today’s parliamentary debate. He also points out that we still do not know if the Government is on track to raise £265 million it proposed to bring in over the course of this Parliament.’

‘A magistrate who resigned in disgust at criminal courts charges being imposed on defendants who plead or are found guilty has told the Guardian the fine “disproportionately punishes the poorest in our community”.’

‘Any person over the age of 18 who is convicted of a criminal offence after 15 April 2015 will find that they have to pay “relevant court costs” (or criminal courts charge) in addition to a number of other payments.’

‘Defendants accused of a crime they have not committed will be incentivised to plead guilty to avoid new court charges in criminal cases, warns the Bar Council ahead of a debate in the House of Lords.’

‘The imposition of mandatory, punitive fines in English and Welsh criminal courts has undermined respect for the law and introduced US-style plea bargaining that results in false convictions, an influential legal thinktank has warned.’

‘The outcry over the new financial penalties for anyone convicted of a crime presents Michael Gove with a crucial test of his willingness to jettison flawed policies inherited from Chris Grayling, his predecessor as Justice Secretary and Lord Chancellor.’

‘Poverty-stricken people are being encouraged to plead guilty to crimes they did not commit out of fear they will face crippling costs imposed by new financial penalties, leading lawyers, magistrates and campaigners have warned.’